Young Highlands rice farmer urge youth to cultivate rice

By Anna Omba *

National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) has assisted many grassroots farmers in the country by providing farmer training. NARI has also provided potato, rice and other subsistence and cash crop seedlings to improve their yields and increase their earnings to improve their standard of living.

A young Mount Hagen rice farmer who has benefited from NARI by becoming a successful village rice farmer has challenged youths to make use of opportunities like this to work on their land and make an honest living. “Money can be earned in many different ways through agriculture or business but as a young farmer, I have taken the opportunity to plant rice to earn my living,” Benny Wandaki, a rice farmer from Kumnga village outside Mt Hagen told the Post-Courier.

Wandaki with his harvest ready to be sold to customers in the village

He said he was supported and encouraged by NARI officers in Lae to go into rice farming using his land to earn money. “Governor Tom Olga assisted me financially by giving me a cheque of K4000, as well as other farmers throughout the province, to go into rice farming,” he said. Mr Wandaki said he used the money to buy tools and rice seedlings and he is confident in expanding his rice production.

“I wish to thank NARI for their support and encouragement and Governor Olga for his help. Rice can be grown successfully in Western Highlands for domestic consumption and for sale as well,” he said. “I made about K20,000 from selling 10 bags of grain rice last year (2011) at K200 per bag and hope to gradually increase production because there is high demand for rice,” he said.

Mr Wandaki challenged youths to make use of their land and make an honest living instead of depending on others or turning to crime. “I encourage youths to make use of whatever opportunities they have and one of them is working on their land to make an honest living. We cannot continue to rely on government handouts or our parents and relatives,” he said.

“We have our resources, especially our land, and we must work our land by making our hands dirty. It is very difficult to get a job these days but you can always earn money by working on your land,” Mr Wandaki said. He said he is encouraging young people in his village to go into rice farming by training them how to plant and harvest rice.

“I introduced a new rice seedling called China 2 to Western Highlands and I will make sure it is spread throughout the province. I have already started by distributing the seedlings to people in Mount Hagen electorate,” Mr Wandaki said.

* Omba is a Divine Word University journalism student